The house at 16 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition notices posted. less

The house at 16 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition ... more

The house at 20 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition notices posted. less

The house at 20 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition ... more

The house at 24 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition notices posted. less

The house at 24 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition ... more

The house at 24 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition notices posted. less

The house at 24 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition ... more

The house at 20 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition notices posted. less

The house at 20 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition ... more

The house at 20 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition notices posted. less

The house at 20 Third St. in Stamford, Conn is one of three multi-family houses that sit side by side on that will likely soon be demolished. All three properties are fenced in and have hand-written demolition ... more

STAMFORD — Tacked to the front of three homes on Third Street several weeks ago were large white poster boards with the words “Notice of Demolition,” written on each in black marker.

The handwritten signs were not in violation of the city’s demolition ordinance, which requires that such notices consist of two-inch, block letters. But they were unusual enough that city officials last week asked the property owners to replace them with typed signs.

What bothers historic preservation advocates, however, is not the signs, but they portend. The three two-family homes, as well as one on Fourth Street, will come down this fall to make way for 23 town houses in four new buildings.

The existing homes were built in the late 19th and early 20th century. The structure at 20 Third St. is the oldest, having been built in 1899, according to the city assessor’s website.

The two-family home at 16 Third St. was built in 1929 and the large white house at 24 Third St. in 1938.

Wes Haynes, executive director of the Historic Neighborhood Preservation program, said the structures were inventoried in a 1979 index of city properties, but nobody ever followed up to seek their inclusion in any historical register.

“There’s no protection for them,” he said. “Our board looked at them but there was nothing we could do to convince the developer to keep the buildings. We’re sorry to see them go.”

Kolich, who owns approximately 40 housing units in Stamford and more than 400 in Bridgeport, said he is only looking to do what makes the most sense financially. He noted that he once took down a home his grandfather built to replace it with a newer one.

The Stamford native said he is also planning to build more than 100 units in separate buildings on Seaside and West avenues, and West Main Street.